DAILY GRACE
April 14, 2020, Tuesday in the Octave of Easter
Selection: The Exultet
Rejoice, O earth, in shining splendor,
radiant in the brightness of your King!
Christ has conquered! Glory fills you!
Darkness vanishes forever!
Meditation
“Darkness vanishes forever!”
Sometimes this time of year (mid-April) the skies seem so grey, and I wish for a long string of sunny days. This year with COVID-19 life seems more than the usual difficulties and challenges. The intensity of this time we are going through brings to my mind how the apostles might have felt in that time between the crucifixion and the resurrection. I’m sure they thought, “Things were not supposed to work out this way.” But Easter reminds us of course that the story didn’t end in darkness and gloom. Easter gives us hope that the darkness of this season will give way to light.
Sometimes the light flashes for a moment, only to be dimmed — like Lent each year. But in Jesus’ resurrection, life and light overcome all obstacles. We are promised that our Lents and Good Fridays, our times of suffering and difficulty, failure, betrayal, pain, and even death, do not have the last word. The love and mercy of God casts out darkness. This is the hope that sustains us each day, and certainly through these days of COVID-19.
Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, renew the hope that is in us. During these days of the coronavirus, fill us with your strength and light to carry us through the darkness.
Contemplation
“Take courage; I have overcome the world!” (Jn. 16:33)